Political Quotes

“it has been my good fortune to serve in the Senate for 24 years. I have great respect for this institution and continue to believe that the men and women who serve here are extraordinary examples, by and large, of public service and that we have done great things of a historic nature. I think of the days of the Obama Presidency, when we had to rescue our economy, make reforms on Wall Street that made a difference, and build a public health system that we have aspired to for decades. We achieved those goals--not easily--with hard work and determination. I am glad to have been a part of it. When I hear the Republican leader come to the floor and talk about his memory of the Senate, I hasten to add: There is another side to the story. I will come to the floor in a few days to outline the history of the filibuster, but I am sure the Senator from Kentucky, who has been in the Senate--and his staff--in elected capacity for decades, would concede this point: Up until the 1960s, the filibuster was rarely used in this U.S. Senate. The demand for, once, 67 votes, then 60 votes was rare. Oh, it was remembered that, in the 1960s, civil rights legislation foundered on the floor of this U.S. Senate because of the filibuster, but it was rarely applied. That changed. It changed under the Senator from Kentucky's leadership.…”